PROJECTSUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Thisresearchmeeting???BuildingandCrossingtheTranslationalBridgeinAlopeciaAreata???is designedtosharefindingsanddistilllearningfromthemostcurrentresearchadvancesandset strategicresearchprioritiesforthenexttwotofiveyearstohastenprogressinfindingaviable, accessibletreatmentforthisautoimmuneskindiseasethataffects2.1%ofthepopulation. Alopeciaareataisadiseasecharacterizedbyhairlossandemotionalpainthataffects6.6million Americansofallages,racesandethnicities.TherearenotreatmentsapprovedbytheFDAforthis commondisfiguringdisease.Althoughalopeciaareatadoesnotreducelifeexpectancy,itisa disabilitythatresultsinunfairdiscrimination,likebeingbulliedforlookingdifferent,expelledfrom schoolforwearingahattokeeptheheadwarmorbeingfiredfromajobatahotelforwearinga headscarfbecauseahairprosthesiswasprohibitivelyexpensive.Thesearetrueandrecentstories. Thistwo?daymeetingdesignedtoblendconciseinformativepresentationsaboutthenewest developmentswithmeaningfuldiscussionamongestablishedseniorscientists,newinvestigatorsand patientswhostandtobenefitwillbeledbythreeesteemedmedicalandscientificco?chairs:Angela Christiano,PhD,ofColumbiaUniversity;MariaHordinsky,MD,oftheUniversityofMinnesota;and, JohnHarris,MD,PhD,oftheUniversityofMassachusettsWorcester.Proceedingswillbeheldeach daywithapatientandindustryroundtabledinnerbetween.Presentationsof10?15minuteswillbe followedbylengthyQ&Asessionsdesignedtofomentsubstantivediscussion.Theconferencewill concludewithconsensus?buildingaboutprioritiesforresearchinthenexttwoyearsandbeyond. Progressonresearchgoalssetatthe2014summitwhichwassupportedbyNIAMSandNCATSwill bereviewed,includingspecificadvancesingenetics,immunology,animalmodels,imaging techniquesandclinicalinvestigation.Newdevelopmentsspearheadedthroughprojectssupportedby theNIH??incross?cuttingautoimmuneanddermatologicresearch,immunologyoftheskinand microbiome??aswellasidentificationoftargetsandnewcollaborationswithbiopharmaceutical companieswillbereviewed.Presentationsonpatient?centeredoutcomeswillalsobeincluded. Thegoalsofthemeetingareto:efficientlygeneraterapidprogressforalopeciaareataresearch; strengthentiesandincreaseunderstandingandbenefitbetweenalopeciaareataresearchersandthose focusedonrelatedskinandautoimmunediseases;improvepartnershipswithkeygovernment agencies;sparkinnovationandcollaboration;andsetprioritieswhichwillinformresearchgrant? makingbytheNationalAlopeciaAreataFoundationandotherfundersofalopeciaareataresearch.